Over the last few weeks we’ve shared important safety tips for the upcoming back to school season. From ensuring residents are keeping an eye out for students on the roads and sidewalks to helping organize walking groups, there’s a lot you can do to help keep your community safer.
There’s more to back to school season than just safety reminders. This is a great opportunity to bring residents together and form new friendships. This is especially true for families that are new to your neighborhood. Here are some ideas to get parents and students together.
Host a back to school party
Before school kicks off, host a back to school party in your community. This is a great opportunity for kids to make new friends and ease any first day jitters. To host a budget-friendly party, hold the party in a local park and offer yard games, water balloons, and ice cream treats for attendees. During the party, get the conversation started among parents on the following topics
Parent-guided walking groups
Last week we recommended organizing walking groups so that kids in your neighborhood won’t have to walk to school alone. This is a great way to keep kids safe and form friendships. Encourage parents to volunteer to host the walking group one day per week. Having a parent guide will keep kids even safer, ensure they never go off-route, and lessen the likelihood of shenanigans.
Carpooling
If the local elementary school isn’t walking distance from your community, encourage parents to organize carpooling groups. This will help kids instantly form bonds with their neighbors and is a great way to help parents form friendships as well. Plus, it’s one of the best ways to ensure all kids get to and from school safely.
Homework clubs
Encourage parents to get together to host homework clubs for kids in the same grade level. This is a great way to ensure kids do their homework, work through any problems or questions they have as a team, and get done at a decent time so they can still play before dinner. If there’s a conference room or work space in your clubhouse, you could offer to host homework club once per week.
Recruit high school volunteers
If there are high schoolers in the neighborhood, encourage them to volunteer to host homework club. This is a great way to help those looking for opportunities to give back or to gain great experience for the college applications. This can also be an excellent way for babysitters in the community to get their name out there and form bonds with potential customers.
Looking for additional ways to build a tight knit community? Download our free six-step guide!
